DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
EXAMINER’S COMMENTS
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Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, including claims 1-9, in the reply filed on May 11, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 3 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on May 11, 2026.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Telescopic Sound Chamber.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
7. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
8. Claims 1-2 and 4-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tuason et al. (Hereinafter Tuason) in view of Enomoto JP 2004350165 (For examination purports English Machine Translation of Enomoto would be use as cited reference).
Regarding claim 1, Tuason teaches
A speaker (Fig. 8B shows a portable speaker….Abstract, Lines 1-2), comprising:
a telescopic sound chamber (Fig. 8B shows an expandable chamber….Abstract, Lines 1-2), having a box wall (Fig. 8B shows a cylindrical ring 806), a bottom layer (Fig. 8B shows a base plate 107), and a first opening (Fig. 8B shows an opening), wherein the bottom layer (i.e. base plate 107) and the first opening (i.e. opening as shown in Fig. 8B) are opposite to each other as shown in Fig. 8B, the telescopic sound chamber (i.e. expandable cylindrical chamber as shown in Fig. 8B) comprises a plurality telescopic sub-box layers (Fig. 8B shows a plurality cylindrical rings 802-806), the telescopic sub-box layers (i.e. plurality cylindrical rings 802-806) are sleeved on and connected to each other as shown in Fig. 8B, the telescopic sub-box layers (i.e. plurality cylindrical rings 802-806) decrease in volume layer by layer, the telescopic sound chamber is suitable for accommodating the relatively smaller telescopic sub-box layer into the respective relatively larger telescopic sub-box layer to reduce a volume of the telescopic sound chamber, the telescopic sound chamber is suitable for moving the relatively smaller telescopic sub-box layer away the respective relatively larger telescopic sub-box layer to increase the volume of the telescopic sound chamber (a first cylindrical ring coupled to the speaker driver, a base plate configured in parallel with the speaker driver, a second cylindrical ring affixed to the base plate, and one or more interposed unaffixed cylindrical rings, wherein in a first expanded state the sidewalls of adjacent rings form frictional seals and a substantially airtight rigid chamber having a height substantially equal to the sum of the sidewall heights of the cylindrical rings, and in an unexpanded state the sidewalls of the cylindrical rings are substantially parallel to one another…..Abstract, Lines 1-11), and at least one of the box wall (i.e. cylindrical ring 806) and the bottom layer (i.e. base plate 107) is formed with at least one air pressure regulating hole (Fig. 8B shows a tuned port 813…..Para. [0043], Lines 3-12);
a first diaphragm (Fig. 8B shows a diaphragm), arranged on the box wall (i.e. cylindrical ring 806) to cover the first opening (i.e. opening as shown in Fig. 8B) as shown in Fig. 8B; and
Tucson further teaches a speaker driver, arranged on the first diaphragm (i.e. diaphragm as shown in Fig. 8B), facing the bottom layer (i.e. base plate 107), and accommodated in the telescopic sound chamber (i.e. expandable cylindrical chamber as shown in Fig. 8B) as shown in Fig. 8B.
Tucson does not explicitly teach that the speaker driver is a piezoelectric vibrating element.
Enomoto teaches a piezoelectric vibrating element (Pg. 1, Lines 8-9).
Tucson and Enomoto each disclose a speaker. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized to modify the speaker of Tucson with the piezoelectric vibrating element as taught by Enomoto. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention modify the speaker of Tucson with the piezoelectric vibrating element as taught by Enomoto. The motivation is to use the vibration of the piezoelectric element is transmitted to the diaphragm since the piezoelectric element produce high frequencies effectively and use less power.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above. Tucson teaches that the volumes of the telescopic sub-box layers (i.e. cylindrical rings 802-806) decrease layer by layer in a direction from the first opening (i.e. opening as shown in Fig. 8B) to the bottom layer (i.e. base plate 107) as shown in Fig. 8B.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above. Tucson teaches that each of the telescopic sub-box layers has a rectangular outline on a longitudinal plane of a direction from the first opening to the bottom layer as shown in Fig. 8B.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above. Enomoto teaches that a first connecting adhesive layer (Fig. 7 shows a tubular transmission member 22) arranged between the first piezoelectric vibrating element (Fig. 7 shows a driving board 13 with a piezoelectric element 14) and the first diaphragm (Fig. 7 shows a diaphragm 20) as shown in Fig. 7.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above. Tucson teaches that a first support element (Fig. 8B shows an intervening structure such as connector 801) arranged around a circumference of the first diaphragm (i.e. diaphragm as shown in Fig. 8B) as shown in Fig. 8B, wherein the first diaphragm (i.e. diaphragm as shown in Fig. 8B) is connected to the box wall (i.e. cylindrical ring 806) through the first support element (i.e. connector 801) to cover the first opening (i.e. opening as shown in Fig. 8B) as shown in Fig. 8B.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above. Tucson teaches that the bottom layer (i.e. base plate 107) seals an end of the telescopic sound chamber (i.e. expandable cylindrical chamber as shown in Fig. 8B) far from the first opening (i.e. opening as shown in Fig. 8B) as shown in Fig. 8B, and the at least one air pressure regulating hole (i.e. tuned port 813) is formed on the bottom layer (i.e. base plate 107) as shown in Fig. 8B and Para. [0043], Lines 3-12.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
The combination of Tucson and Enomoto do not explicitly teach that a material of the box wall and a material of the bottom layer are the same, and the box wall and the bottom layer are integrally formed.
Tucson teaches in a different embodiment a material of the box wall (Para. [0026], Lines 1-6) and a material of the bottom layer are the same (Para. [0032], Lines 14-16), and the box wall and the bottom layer are integrally formed (Para. [0026], Lines 24-29).
The combination of Tucson and Enomoto and a different embodiment of Tucson each disclose a speaker. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized to modify the speaker of the combination of Tucson and Enomoto with the material of the box wall and material of the bottom layer are the same, and the box wall and the bottom layer are integrally formed as taught by another embodiment of Tucson. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention modify the speaker of the combination of Tucson and Enomoto with the material of the box wall and material of the bottom layer are the same, and the box wall and the bottom layer are integrally formed as taught by another embodiment of Tucson. The motivation is to use a speaker molded as one piece to improve the sound quality.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Tucson and Enomoto teach all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
The combination of Tucson and Enomoto do not explicitly teach that a material of the box wall and a material of the bottom layer are different, and the bottom layer is attached to the box wall.
Tucson teaches in a different embodiment a material of the box wall (Para. [0026], Lines 1-6) and a material of the bottom layer are different (Para. [0032], Lines 14-16), and the bottom layer is attached to the box wall (Para. [0026], Lines 24-29).
The combination of Tucson and Enomoto and a different embodiment of Tucson each disclose a speaker. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized to modify the speaker of the combination of Tucson and Enomoto with the material of the box wall and a material of the bottom layer are different, and the bottom layer is attached to the box wall as taught by another embodiment of Tucson. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention modify the speaker of the combination of Tucson and Enomoto with the material of the box wall and a material of the bottom layer are different, and the bottom layer is attached to the box wall as taught by another embodiment of Tucson. The motivation is to use materials sufficiently rigid and airtight so that the desired acoustic fidelity is achieved.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Ye-Ming, US-PAT No. 5,082,084, Extensible Sound Case, Fig. 1 shows an extensible sound case, comprises a speaker and an extensible sound chest assembly.
D'Hoogh, US-PG-PUB No. 2008/0279406, Portable Speaker Device, Fig. 3 shows a rear mounting plate extending parallel to the front mounting plate (5), and two enclosure bodies (7a, 7b).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANGELICA M MCKINNEY whose telephone number is (571)270-3321. The examiner can normally be reached 7AM-3PM EST M-F. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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/ANGELICA M MCKINNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694
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